Spring Festival 101 – useful words & phrases for CNY!

It’s that time of year again: time to wish your colleagues and Chinese friends Happy New Year and to wonder what on earth they’re singing in that song you hear on repeat at the supermarket! Let us help you with our guide to the essential vocabulary for Spring Festival!

The coming year is the Year of the Pig

猪年 Zhū nián (Year of the Pig)

There are several ways to say Happy New Year in Chinese – you can use the basic phrase, which is also suitable for January 1st, or you can say Happy Spring Festival, to distinguish it from January 1st.

On New Year’s Day, or the first time you see someone after the holiday, you can use a different version of ‘Happy New Year’:过年好！ Guònián hǎo (Happy New Year)

Prepare for the holiday by decorating your front door and windows to keep bad luck away!

剪纸 Jiǎnzhǐ (Paper cuttings)春联 Chūnlián (Spring Festival couplets)

福 Fú （Blessings）

On New Year’s Eve, celebrate by giving gifts of red envelopes with money inside, and eating auspicious foods with your whole family!

饺子 Jiǎozi (Dumplings; lucky because they look like ingots)

鱼 Yú (Fish; lucky because it sounds the same as ‘plenty’ in Chinese)

红包 Hóngbāo (Red envelopes)

On days 1-5 of the New Year many parks and temples hold temple fairs, where you can eat traditional snack foods, watch craftspeople at work, enjoy performances and buy New Year themed souvenirs.

初一 Chū yī （New Years Day）

初二，初三，初四，初五 etc (use ‘chū’ and then a number to talk about that particular day of the festival)

庙会 Miàohuì (Temple fair)

The Spring Festival ends with the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated with lantern displays and another big family dinner. Dessert is yuanxiao (also known as tangyuan – small, round, sweet dumplings shaped like the full moon), hence the name of the festival. 元宵节 Yuánxiāo jié (Lantern Festival)

One phrase you’re sure to hear and see everywhere during this time of year

恭喜发财 Gōngxǐ fācái (Wishing you happiness and prosperity!)

We hope these come in useful for the coming holiday. Are these words and phrases new to you, or are they all ones you’ve used before? Are there any others we haven’t included that you think will be useful for people to know at this time of year? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter. We always love hearing from you!

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Cultural Keys is an expat owned and Beijing based company, aimed at helping people access, understand and experience modern life and traditional culture in China. We do this by providing unique classes, information and services, for both leisure and business visits.

From calligraphy and martial arts to drivers and interpreters, no matter your reason for being interested in this fascinating country, Cultural Keys helps you not just see China, but experience it too.

Find Us

About Cultural Keys

Cultural Keys is an expat owned and Beijing based company, aimed at helping people access, understand and enjoy traditional Chinese culture. We do this by providing unique information, classes and services, for both residents and visitors.

From Chinese calligraphy and painting classes to kung fu courses and cultural tours, no matter your reason for being interested in this fascinating country, Cultural Keys helps you not just see China, but experience it too.